A project evaluated the overall effectiveness of the Advanced Courses Development Programme (ACDP) of the Scottish Vocational Education Council. A peer review of selected Higher National (HN) unit specifications involved 195 subject experts who completed evaluation questionnaires on specifications in their specialist areas. The main body of the research consisted of a series of case studies of the development of HN units and courses in colleges throughout Scotland. Development work for the new courses took these basic forms: national development of HN unit specifications and course frameworks, local development undertaken by a college, consortium development undertaken by two or more colleges, and joint development between college and industry. Evidence was insufficient to suggest a national or a local approach was markedly better than the other. Informational support was not sufficient in itself; staff most valued support in actually carrying out their tasks. Data suggested strongly that staff saw external validation of courses as legitimate and valuable. Five components of the system were examined regarding their role in an effective program: competence, HN unit specifications, assessment, merit, and quality assurance. Findings also indicated that most staff saw as successful the facility for articulation that was intended as a central feature of the ACDP and many teachers felt they were changing their style because of introduction of new HN units and courses. The conclusion was that the fundamental model was sound. (YLB)